Former STA teacher facing child porn charges: Five years ago was accused of sex assault of student

Tuesday

Feb 5, 2013 at 3:15 AMFeb 5, 2013 at 7:21 AM

By Andrea Bulfinchabulfinch@fosters.com

DOVER — A former St. Thomas Aquinas teacher is facing seven felony charges alleging possession of child pornography just five years after being arrested in 2008 for a charge of sexual assault involving a student.

According to a report by the Portsmouth Herald, Greenland Police found a disk at the former Post Road residence of Daryl Robertson, 38, of 585 River Road, Eliot, Maine, that contained “explicit images of minors engaged in sexual activity.”

The article reports Robertson has been working as a landscaper and music tutor.

He was arraigned by video Monday morning in circuit court for the seven felonies by Judge Sawako Gardner who, according to the Portsmouth Herald, set bail at $50,000 cash and $150,000 personal recognizance, and ordered Robertson to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18.

The case was brought to the attention of Greenland Police Chief Tara Laurent by a U.S. Postal Inspection Service agent pertaining to the “sexual exploitation of minors,” according to the Portsmouth Herald. The article reports that Laurent's affidavit states “a search was conducted at the 285 Post Road residence by postal investigators, working with Portsmouth and Greenland police, on Jan. 31, when the disk was found in Robertson's former bedroom.”

Specifically, the article further explains that each of the seven charges “allege that on Jan. 31, Robertson possessed images of nude boys engaged in sexual behavior.”

Federal charges are expected to follow, according to a statement reported by the Portsmouth Herald from Greenland detective David Kurkel. He also described Robertson as a “danger” and “flight risk.”

Robertson's attorney, Alan Cronheim, could not be reached for comment by Foster's Daily Democrat Monday evening.

In 2008, Foster's reported that Robertson had allegedly fondled the genitals of an 18-year-old male student by “using the element of surprise.”

In 2009, the then music teacher was given a suspended jail sentence for the assault of a former student. All of his 10-day sentence was suspended pending good behavior for one year.

Robertson was later acquitted of the misdemeanor sexual assault charge.

According to The Portsmouth Herald, Portsmouth Circuit Court records indicate Robertson applied to have his prior sexual assault conviction annulled.

Robertson is scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause hearing on the child pornography charges Feb. 12.